Effects Of Lowering The Drinking Age

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Recommended: Arguments for and against changing the drinking age

Lowering The Drinking Age. 23 years ago the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed. It essentially created a de facto national drinking age, by telling all states that if they didn't raise the age of consumption for alcohol to 21, the federal government could deny up to 10% of federal highway funds given to any offending state. South Dakota opposed, but the Supreme Court which found, it did not violate the 10th or 21st Amendments, since the law was not required and was planned for the “general welfare”, supported the act. This caused the United States having the highest drinking age in the world (RJ). There is no national drinking age limit in the US but not many people know that in 1972 the drinking age was lowered to 18 in some states primarily because the voting age was set to be 18 as well. It was changed back to 21 in 1984, in part to battle drunk driving fatalities, with only one condition any state that allowed any person under the age of 21 to drink in public the government would have reduce their annual federal highway funding by 10% (Chafetz). Young adults are responsible for many different things, a lot more then 23 years ago. The drinking limit was set to be 21 to protect this nation’s youth but all the drinking age limit does is make alcohol for people under the age of 21 even more desirable. Many young adults think is unfair that when they turn 18 all of this responsibility and decision making is thrown at them all of the sudden. Not only should there be obligations with beginning to be an adult, but there should also be privileges, and having a beer from time to time should at least be one of them. The Drinking age should be lowered to 18 in the United States like in most countries instead of having 18 year... ... middle of paper ... ... age. Adults under 21 are often tempted to try alcohol and in college, its access comes a lot easier by their peer senior students. The Amethyst Initiative argues that the best way to prepare young adults to make more responsible decisions on alcohol is to lower the drinking age. Under age Binge drinking on the rise is causing for seven states to consider lowering the drinking age. “Many underage drinkers usually choose to have fake IDs and compromise their safety only to have a drink and they usually binge drink because if not then it’s not worth it right? Said Caitlin McCarthy junior from The University of Arizona. (CBSNEWS) Studies have shown that despite the laws against sales of alcoholic beverages, minors consume 11% of alcohol sold in the United States also more than 90% of this liquor is consumed in the form of binge beverages. (Underage Drinking)

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